The Magic of New Memories
by rosehustle1
Summary: Belle has lost her new memories and only remembers her life in an asylum. Rum works to prove to her that she is sane by showing her the wonders of life in Storybrooke and of his magical abilities. But will he also be able to work another kind of magic and reclaim her heart?


The Magic of New Memories

Chapter 1

"Belle? Who's Belle?"

That question had echoed in his mind for days. The love of his life did not remember who she was, or who he was. After all the obstacles and loss, it seemed that they were getting closer to having a happy ending. Now, he was back to square one. Rum didn't know how he would convince his dearest that she was his greatest love. He knew he needed to remind her and get her to remember not only the truth of her life but the power of their love.

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Two Days Later...

They said that her name was Belle, short for Isabelle. She did not remember anything about her former life. The woman, Ruby, told her that she was the town librarian and was restoring the structure to its previous glory. Apparently, books were a huge aspect of her life. It was hard to imagine any of this information to be real, considering, the last thing she truly remembered experiencing was a stark padded room with a barred window. Oh, she remembered the asylum quite well. The needles full of tranquilizers and the food that she suspected contained something just as immobilizing. She could recall the strange woman who would gaze in through the slat in the door. She could still envision her cruel smile and dark eyes.

She remembered all the worst parts of her life. The pain of knowing that her only family member, her father, had committed her to an asylum at the tender age of sixteen was as raw a memory as being shot. She still did not understand what the strange hook-handed man wanted from her or why the older man with the cane was there to save her. All of the commotion had her so confused that she passed out at the scene. When she awoke to find the older man leaning over her, attempting to kiss her, she instantly screamed bloody murder. He was able to calm her down and explain. Well, he explained something about true love's kiss and bringing back her memory which she knew was on the same level of crazy that she had been declared. He seemed sincere but what he said was impossible. According to Ruby, Gold was Belle's boyfriend. She wished she could remember this man's presence in her heart, but there was a vast haze of darkness hanging over her memories.

"There is no such thing as magic or true love or any of that. Please, I am finally getting better. Apparently, I was out of the asylum and doing well. Don't trigger my old delusions." Belle said as she sat up against her pillow.

He looked at her with watery eyes.

"I understand why you feel that way, but I can prove to you that magic is real. I can prove to you that your delusions weren't delusions at all…You were a princess. You did save your kingdom from ogres…And you did find true love with a beast."

She watched him carefully as he stepped closer to the bed.

"Mr. Gold, I wish you would please stop with this nonsen—"

At that moment, the man conjured a rose out of thin air. Turning to her with a smile, he handed her the flower.

She smiled warmly and sniffed at the rose.

"Nice trick but it doesn't prove anything."

He grimaced at her statement, but then his eyes suddenly brightened with mischief.

"May I have it back for a moment?" He was asking for the rose. She nodded and gave it back to him.

"What will you do? Produce a whole bouquet this time." She asked with a note of sarcasm.

He smiled and placed the rose in an empty vase on the side table.

"Actually, I was thinking of doing something a bit more jarring"

He leaned forward and brought his hand into the air and motioned toward the plant. Suddenly the flower started to grow larger and larger until it seemed to reach the ceiling. Belle gasped at the sight.

"How?"

He chuckled and snapped his fingers making the rose suddenly return to normal size. He walked to the seat near the bed and sat down.

"I told you magic was real."

He snapped his fingers again and this time bouquets of red, yellow, pink, and white roses filled the room.

She looked around in awe and smiled in delight. However, her smile slowly began to fade and she became alarmingly interested in the hospital bracelet on her wrist.

"Belle? You're not afraid are you? I can make it all disappear…"

"No, it's not that. It's just what if you are a delusion too. What if none of this is real? I am the only one seeing this 'magic'. I need to know that others can see it too."

He sighed in frustration but understood her desire for proof.

"As you wish. "

He snapped his fingers again and made the flowers disappear. He then pushed the help button to alert a nurse. Within a minute, a petite woman with long flowing blonde hair held within a pony tail, came into the room. Her name tag read, 'Rochelle', but in Fairytale Land she was none other than Rapunzel.

"Is everything alright?" The young woman looked worriedly at Belle and then not so subtlety glared at Mr. Gold.

"Everything is fine, Dearie. I just needed another pair of eyes to confirm that what Belle is seeing is real."

"What are you talking about, Gold?" The woman was slightly annoyed being interrupted from her afternoon soap opera because of Rumpelstiltskin's whims and fancies. She wouldn't care for being interrupted if this had been anyone else. Although she liked Belle, she loathed her paramour.

"Magic, Dearie. Belle needs convincing that it exists and that her memories of the enchanted forest and all of the fairytale characters are in fact real…She needs to know that she is sane."

Rochelle turned to Belle and saw the fear behind her eyes. Poor Belle, she didn't remember who she really was anymore. Rochelle hated helping Rumpelstiltskin but not enough to keep Belle in the dark.

"Fine. I'll help you, but this is for Belle's well-being not yours."

"Fair enough."

He motioned for Rochelle to sit in the chair. He came nearer to her and brought his hands to rest on her head. Rochelle rolled her eyes at his touch but allowed him to continue.

Suddenly with a wicked smile and a flourish of his hands he yelled, "Rapunzel! Rapunzel! Let down your hair."

Rochelle's hair began to grow longer and longer until it trailed all the way out the open window. Belle jumped out of bed to investigate the long blond locks. Rochelle slowly stood up and looked at her vast mane of hair hanging out the window.

"You see it too?" Belle asked her with anticipation. Rochelle smiled gently at her and grasped Belle's hand.

"I do. I was Rapunzel in our other land. Rump—Gold thought it would be delightful to grow my hair to that undesirable length once more."

Belle went over to the window and saw the hair trailing all the way down to the ground. She knew that her room was on the fifth floor. This was amazing. Magic was, in fact, real. Belle turned back to Gold.

"I'm not crazy."

"No, you never were."

He snapped his fingers and Rochelle's hair was once again its normal length.

"Thank you (Rochelle sighed in relief). I hope I helped. Belle, this life we have here is unbelievable but it is also very much real. This man is a lot of things (she said pointing to Rumpelstiltskin) but a liar he is not." Rochelle said as she gave Belle another smile and walked out of the room to leave the two alone.

Belle looked over at Mr. Gold. He had a soft smile on his face, but she could tell he was terrified that she was about to reject him. She felt terrible for not remembering him or any of their past life. Tentatively, Belle walked toward Mr. Gold until she was standing in front of him.

"Thank you for proving that I'm not insane. I also want to thank you for caring so much for my well-being."

"Of course, you never need to thank me for that, Love." He said as he leaned unconsciously toward her.

She smiled her first sincere smile in days. The endearment was unexpected but not unwelcomed.

"I would like to remember my life and all that it encompasses…Would you help me?"

Letting out a sigh of relief, he moved even closer. He brought his hand to rest against her chin and gently stroked the skin.

"More than anything." He replied.


End file.
